Love's Second Chance
by puresilk
Summary: What would happen if the "little piece of forever" wasn't so...forever? What lengths will Jasper go to after his first love has died to protect his second? Rated M for violence, sex scenes and heavy cursing.
1. Chapter 1 : Breakable

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Chapter 1**

**Jasper's POV**

I need to find something to do, anything to think about but...her. In desperation, I go through Alice's collection of music on her iPod. I come to an artist by the name of Ingrid Michaelson. Sounds odd enough, I think, so I plug her iPod in and press play.

Miss Michaelson's voice floats over the the instrumentals and into my brain. But, dammit, the song reminds me of her again. I don't have the heart to change the music, though, so I close my eyes and let my memories of her envelop me.

Breakable. Just like she used to be. I liked it better when she was human; then I knew that, one day, she would be out of Edward's life – and mine. The bloodlust was almost unendurable, but I convinced myself that, in a few decades, she would be gone. After all, her human body was so fragile that a mere fall could kill her.

"Jasper, honey! Are you all right?" Alice asks, touching my shoulder. I'm back in the real world again. Damn it to hell.

"Oh, hey, Alice!" I grin. "I just came in here to relax. Do you need something?" I ask her, hoping she would say yes. Her yes meant I could focus on something else besides my own sick desires. Her yes meant I would have some purpose to my life besides loving her.

"No, thanks," she says with a sweet smile. "Just keep on relaxing." She goes out of the room, walking in that dancing way she has, and leaves me alone with my thoughts. Well, it's not like I could tell her about this anyway; it would kill her to know that her husband and true love was lusting after her best friend.

I reclose my eyes and let the song overtake me. Everything about Bella floods my mind: her smell, those beautiful eyes that are now gone from her; the warm feel of her skin, how delicate her neck looked to my teeth, how brave she was in the face of utter destruction.

All that was gone now. Well, except for the bravery. Now her beauty was her credit, instead of her insightful mind. Now it was her perfect body that tempted my ravaged one. All she had was all that I could never possess, especially self-control. I was a little better than a base animal, and she was the queen of us all.

Breakable. That described me well. I could never have such a perfect angel as her, not when I could barely even keep myself from killing her a few years ago. She was probably still horrified by that experience. I wouldn't blame her for feeling uncomfortable around me, like Edward had mentioned once.

Moreover, I was forever attached to Alice. Yes, I loved her, and, yes, I wanted her around – just not in that way. Oh, God, how I finally understood the phrase "Up Shit Creek without a paddle." Even with vampiric abilities, there was no way of escaping this hell.


	2. Chapter 2 Escape

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 2

JASPER'S POV

"Carlisle, could you carve the turkey?" Esme calls from in the kitchen. Bella's family is coming over for Thanksgiving, and so our family has to fix a feast fit for kings that only the humans – and Renesmee – will be able to eat. Oh, brother.

The front door flies open, and Renesmee runs into the family room, all smiles and giggles. "I can't believe Granpa and Gramma are really coming here!" she exclaims. "It's been ages since I've seen Gramma and Phil!" Bella's stepfather took more of an avuncular role for Renesmee; not that he minded. Apparently, he shuddered at the thought of actually being a step-grandfather, especially to a ten-year-old girl, as Renesmee was.

Edward gives me a small smile and then goes into the dining room to give Rosalie a hand with setting the table. Soon after, Alice takes Bella and Renesmee into the kitchen so they could help with the cooking. Since Emmett's busy moving all the cars to give Bella's family places to park, I'm left to my own devices.

These days, "my own devices" usually means thinking about Bella. Every bit of how she came into the family is branded on my brain. I even remember when she and Edward first fell in love...

Edward came home that night at first tense and furious. He went into Carlisle's study and spoke to him about some attackers that had almost gotten Bella. I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard the "almost" part. No human, no matter if she was a meddler in our family's affairs, deserved the agony the attackers would have given her. Carlisle and Edward went out for a while, and Edward came back before Carlisle did.

When he got back, Edward sank into his favorite chair, and sighed deeply. He closed his eyes and smiled a little, as if he'd gotten drunk on the best wine there was. Then he started muttering something about dazzling people. I was really confused. I, maybe a little too loudly, cleared my throat to bring him back to the real world.

Esme, who had been brushing up on her Greek mythology threw her book up in the air and let out a little scream because my cough startled her so. "Are you okay?"she asked nervously.

"I'm fine," I reassured her. "I was trying to get this drunken fool out of his stupor." Edward gave me a hard stare. "You know perfectly well that I can't get drunk," he said. "And, as a matter of fact, I will tell you why I am acting like a fool."

He stood up, cleared his throat, and announced as if it were the biggest news of the century: "I am in love! I love Bella Swan, and she loves me!" The look of exultation on his face was nearly sickening. I made a disgusted sound, then headed for my room.

Ever since I'd first seen Bella, my whole mind had been entranced with her. Such delicate features, such a sweet girl, such an intoxicating scent. And I hadn't gotten within two feet of her yet. I could only imagine how she would feel in my arms, how her neck would feel in my teeth –

Stop it, Jasper! I shouted to myself. You're just thirsting for her blood, nothing more. I put my head in my hands and tried to block Bella out of my mind. But, dammit, it just wasn't working. Her face kept recurring in everything I tried to think about. She was inextricably swirled in with the other ingredients in the memory stew.

There was only one thing that blocked everything else out: the hunt. I pulled my shirt off so I could feel the vapor and wind against my chest, jumped out the window, and ran after the young buck I'd spotted. The thrill of running, the excitement of the chase, and the eventual fulfillment of the life-blood spurting into my mouth made me forget all else – especially the one person I needed to forget...

That was the way it had been for years, and how it, conceivably, would be for all eternity whenever Bella was around. I needed to remember the reason I was still alive: Alice. It was Alice who had found me in Philadelphia, Alice who had brought both of us to our family, Alice who kept from sinking my teeth into every human neck I saw.

"They're here!" Bella shouted. Renesmee went to the door to greet her grandparents, and I snapped to attention, just as I'd been taught in the army. I couldn't think about these things anymore; if Edward heard my thoughts, I knew it wouldn't be good for anyone concerned.


	3. Chapter 3 Pleasured Distractions

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**CHAPTER 3**

"Oh, look! It's snowing outside!" Carlisle says absentmindedly as he's filling out some paperwork. Sure enough, it is. Well, it should be, considering it's mid-December by now. Plus, Forks gets the most precipitation in the continental U.S, so snow should've been coming down long before now.

I look at the grandfather clock in front of the sofa (from where I'm sitting, anyway) and realize that it's almost 9 o'clock. Alice will be missing me if I don't come back by then. I bid Carlisle and Esme goodnight, then set off for Alice's and my house.

It was always a distinct pleasure to pass the night with Alice. She had a way of softening the edges of this hard world that I always found intriguing. She was the softness, the sweetness that my jaded brain needed when I was becoming too bitter about my existence. I also found it interesting for each of us to read books aloud during the night. Alice's reading of How Green Was My Valley, for no particular reason, is standing out in my mind tonight. Yes, just as I'm ducking under verdant branches, I'm coincedentally thinking of a book with "green" in the title.

Off in the distance, I hear Nessie giggling and shrieking, "Stop throwing snowballs, Jake! Aunt Alice will be mad if you ruin my dress!" I smile a little, then follow the light to Alice's and my house.

Our house was more…masculine in décor, I suppose. But that was Alice's compromise to have her own private closet and bathroom. I open the door and go to sit in my over – large leather chair, waiting for Alice to join me in the front room. I pick up the newspaper to glance over. Nothing much new; the president – elect was promising reform and change. So many like him had said such things before, and was there reform now?

As I'm thinking about this, I hear Alice call, "Jasper! Are you going to get your militarized butt in here or not? I've been waiting for an hour." I could even, in my mind, see the little pout she usually gave when she pretended to be frustrated with me.

I get up out of the chair and stride to the room diagonally left from the front room. Alice is lying atop the large bed, looking like a goddess in her soft pink negligee. As I unbutton my shirt, I tell her, "You were only waiting that long because you were looking for a vision, honey." Alice smiles and gets up off the bed. She pulls my shirt out of my pants and off my body. Her scent reminded me of the rosewater fine ladies used to use back in my human life. Always a lady; the proper, prim lady I needed.

I softly kiss her lips and my hands slowly edge down to her small, tender breasts. Alice moans as I gently stroke her nipples with my thumbs and press my body up against hers. As gracefully as any vampire could, Alice falls back on the bed and whispers, "Take me if you want, Jasper Hale."

I get up on the bed and straddle her, rocking back and forth to make her moan. Alice manages to sit up and undo my jeans, then she starts stroking my cock. I growl with pleasure as it hardens under her touch. Before I totally lose my mind to her, I manage to say, "Who's doing the taking, Mary Alice? You or me?"

Alice gets a devilish grin on her face and says, "Ooops. Guess I forgot." She reaches up and kisses me, her tongue stroking the roof of my mouth. I push her down onto the bed, rip her panties off, then start stroking in and out of her. With every stroke I make, I grunt with pleasure and Alice's fingertips press into my ass harder and harder. "More, more, more," she breathes.

When I finally come, Alice's back arches a little and she gasps with pleasure. Then we both lie side – by – side on the bed, gently holding each other.

Alice whispers, "I think you gave Vlad the Impaler a run for his money tonight." We both chuckle, and Alice nestles against me to rest. I close my eyes to rest for a while.

However, rest was not what my brain had in store for me. Every image of Bella, from the first time I saw her in the cafeteria to now, spills into my brain.

I remembered last year, when the whole family went to a beach in Scotland for the summer. In a one – piece bathing suit, Bella looked like a goddess. That neckline plunged far too low for any mortal man to not have a heart attack, and immortal men such as myself had to fight every urge that told them to take her.

I had to remind myself constantly that she was my brother's wife, a mother, and was not at all in love with me. And yet, that perfectly curved ass called me like the Sirens' song. I tried to block out the day it was perfectly sunny and Edward untied Bella's bathing suit. Neither of them knew I was there. I got out of there as soon as Edward pulled Bella into the water and took off his bathing shorts. And yet, the sight of the seawater dripping off Bella's full breasts was a sight I would never forget…

"Jasper? Hello? You there?" asks Alice, slipping into that Deep South accent I love so much.

I put the thoughts of Bella away, and reply with hints of my Texas accent, "What is it, ma'am? Can I assist you in any fashion?"

Alice says, "Oh, I don't need any assistance. I was just wondering why you seemed spaced out when I'm the one who has visions." She rubs up against my body and puts her arms around my neck.

Smiling, I say, "Oh, I was just focusing on paintings in museums so I could relax." It was only a little lie. After all, many portraits of women in museums were naked.

**A/N :THANK YOU ALL FOR THE REVIEWS, FAVORITES, AND FOLLOWS!**


	4. Chapter 4 Darker Visions

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

I know it seems like Jasper and Bella will never get together. Be patient; they will find true happiness eventually! Also, for the first time, I am putting Bella's POV in this story. Hope you like my take on Bella!

**Chapter 4**

"Okay, everyone," Carlisle calls above the din of our talking. We quiet down and start to listen to his words. He continues, "Esme and going to assign jobs to everyone so that the house will get clean and decorated for Christmas faster."

He says, "Rose and Nessie will be dusting." Rose tries to hide her disgust at getting such a "lowly" job as Carlisle keeps assigning jobs.

"Alice will be vacuuming. Emmett, you can help her by gently lifting the furniture." Emmett traces a halo above his head and pretends to be saintly, to much laughter.

Carlisle adds, "Bella and Edward will be getting all the ornaments out of the basement and putting the boxes where they need to be. Jasper, you can cut down the trees we need." I give Carlisle a thumbs – up and head out the door to find my trusty axe.

As I'm rummaging in my tool box, I hear Emmett ask, "But, what're you all doing? Just because you're old – owwwww! Rose! Don't punch my side!"

I'm sure our laughter can be heard all the way to First Beach, considering how hard we're laughing. After we all settle down, Esme says, "Carlisle and I will be washing the Christmas dinnerware. We have more experience at doing such things because we're older." I walk away laughing heartily. It's moments like this that make me glad I'm part of the Cullen family.

Well, now to the task of cutting down five trees – two for the main house and one each for the other houses. This job gives me time away from Bella – not that I wished to be away from her presence; on this day, Edward could read my thoughts even on my face without looking into my mind, and then it would be time to say farewell to my immortal life.

I take as long as possible cutting down the trees, hoping that when I get back to the main house, it will nearly be time for Renesmee to go to bed, and I won't have to face Bella and Edward for very long. However, it's yet 2 o'clock in the afternoon when I get back to the house. _Damn. I really need to learn how to slow down._

As soon as I set the trees against the wall, a small body pummel into me. "Hey, Uncle Jazz!" Renesmee squeals at such high pitches that I'm sure the crystal goblets will crack.

_Well, at least I have a little bit of Bella wanting me_, I think to myself. Though her noble features and the copper color of her hair most certainly comes from Edward, Bella is there in her deep brown eyes, and the curled nature of her hair comes from Bella's father. When I look into those eyes, I can pretend, for a few moments, that they are the eyes of the woman I lusted for.

I manage to pick myself up after the tackle I received, and the whole Cullen family, plus Jacob, starts decorating the Christmas trees. One is the "adult" tree, where all the priceless ornaments go. It isn't that we don't trust Renesmee to not break the ornaments; we just decided that her "brand" of ornaments deserved their own tree. Moreover, Esme cares enough about the – literally – antiques on the tree that she wanted them to have a place of honor in the house.

The first tree gently glows with the white lights expertly put on by my Alice's skillful hands and the luster of the gold and silver of the delicate ornaments. Then we turn our attention to the "kiddie" tree. Many of the ornaments are painted wood or cross-stitched embroidery, the majority of the former having been made by Jacob as a testament to his devotion to her. Just after Renesmee hangs up a porcelain ornament of the Holy Family, an odd look crosses her face. "'Scuse me! I have to go get my ornaments!"

Jacob gives Bella a puzzled look, and she explains, "She made 12 ornaments, one for each day of Christmas."

Jacob says in a jocular way, "Well, I guess she'll be a regular overachiever, just like her dad." I automatically clench my hand into a fist, trying not to let my emotions overtake me. Jacob, even though on good terms with the family, had a way of saying things that he knew would piss me off.

Well, Jacob hasn't liked me much. I remember well the night he made those ill feelings towards me known...

_It was Christmas Eve of last year and the snow was falling harder than usual. I was alone in the sunroom, taking advantage of the darkening of the sky. Just as soon as I'd gotten settled in my favorite chair, I heard a soft knock at the door. I was slightly irritated, but figured it was just Alice or Esme, checking on where I was._

_ To my surprise, I saw Renesmee come into the room. Her face looked pleading and a little sad. "Uncle Jazz," she whispered, "can I get a hug?" Her arms reached up to me as a desperate plea._

_ "Of course," I told her, smiling, "You can get a hug from me any time." I held her close, trying to savor this moment as long as I could. Half of Bella lived in Renesmee's body, so it was as close as I was ever going to get to holding Bella. I rocked her gently in my arms, softly humming a popular Christmas song. Her head lay on my chest, and I closed my eyes and pretended, for a moment, that she was my daughter._

_ Suddenly, the moment was rudely interrupted by Jacob throwing the door open. "Momma and Daddy are looking for you, Nessie!" he smiled. "You need to go to bed." Renesmee made a little pouty face, but she gladly followed the orders of her best friend. Jacob made a gesture for Renesmee to go on to her parents, then closed the door. His face wasn't happy at all._

_ "Leave her alone," he hissed. "The way you look at her is...wrong. Sick."_

_ I couldn't help myself; I stood up and said coldly, "Yeah, words from the guy who follows her around wherever she goes." Jacob's face contorted in fury, and he lunged for me. I managed, however, to grab his throat with both hands and proceeded to choke him, so as to render him a little weak and incapacitated, should he try to fight me after I let go._

_ "What are you doing?" I heard a female voice scream. I looked up and saw Bella's usually serene face agape with shock. "Let Jake go!" I did as she commanded, and Jacob quickly got back up._

_ "I'll take Nessie home so you can deal with...this," he snarled, a little hoarsely._

_ After Jacob left the room, Bella and I were alone. She clenched her fists and walked up to me. "Explain to me," she whispered with quiet vehemence, "why you think it's appropriate to strangle my best friend and the guy who imprinted on my daughter, on Christmas Eve, no less."_

_ I could tell she wasn't fooling; her anger was written all over her body. I took a deep breath and then said, "He thinks I'm the perverted one when Renesmee wants me to hug her."_

_ Bella's face went a little slack at my words. Then her jaw hardened back again. "Jake would never say a thing like that. He cares about me and this family too much to ever-"_

_ "Then ask him," I replied. "Ask him what he thinks of Edward. Ask him what he thinks of me." Bella whipped around and left the room..._

I have never liked Jacob since then. From what I could gather, Jacob covered his ass with all the grace he could muster. However, it wasn't a shining moment for me either; I couldn't blame Bella for acting cold toward me for months afterward.

With a sigh, I go over to the box of ornaments and start helping the other family members with adorning the tree.

**_Bella's POV_**

"Daddy, could you put the Santa up on that branch?" Nessie asks, pointing to one of the upper branches that even I would have a hard time getting at.

Edward cracks his crooked smile, then says, "I have a better idea." He scoops Nessie up in his strong arms and lifts her up to the branch she pointed out. Nessie giggles at being up so high, and I smile.

Though to most of the people of Forks, Edward seems like a distant and cold dad, Charlie and the Cullen family know better. Last St. Patrick's Day, Nessie and Edward started an epic pillow fight that we'll talk about for decades. And then, for her "official" birthday, he took Nessie and me to New York City so she could see Wicked on Broadway…and so she could go to the top of the Empire State Building. Even though I knew she was half – vampire and had unerring balance, it still scared me when she walked that close to the railing.

While all this is running through my head, I hear the radio, which has been playing all day, turn to "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." Alice's perfect soprano voice soars over the whole choir and fills the house with music that seems truly heavenly. The descant she takes is so beautiful that Nessie starts to tear up – I think everyone would have, if we weren't vampire.

When the song is finished, Jasper pulls Alice into his embrace and whispers, "That's my angel." Alice just smiles while she reaches to stroke Jasper's hair. Maybe it's just me, but the way she's touching him seems almost…possessive. The way she bites her lip – it's as if she knows something wrong.

Before I can actually think about that scene, however, Edward pulls me in front of everyone and says, "Rose, you can play 'O Holy Night,' right?"

"No, Edward!" I tell him. "You are the only person besides Nessie who could listen to me sing!" If I were still human, I'd be almost completely completely red in the face right now. I never even sang in the shower. For some odd reason, Nessie preferred my singing childhood songs to the lullaby Edward made for her when it came time to actually sleep. Edward, though, is not deterred.

"Bella, it's Christmas. Can't this be an early Christmas present?" he begs while holding my hands tight. I could swear he actually he stuck out his bottom lip. My dignified, proper Edward reduced to begging like a toddler? It was ridiculous.

I rolled my eyes, let go of Edward, and muttered to Rosalie, "Key of F." Her fingers glide over the keys as I sing the song, kicked down a few steps because even my vampire soprano voice made Emmett cover his ears and say that I probably scared most of the elk away from Forks permanently.

On the second verse, Rosalie sings a harmony above me, and our voices blend wonderfully. Edward holds Nessie close to himself, and they both have perfectly contented looks on their faces. Even Jake is swaying a little to the music. This feels like the perfect Christmas.

I start to repeat the chorus, but my voice is interrupted by Alice's scream. She lets go of Jasper and runs into the kitchen. Esme and I run after her, and I can hear Edward right behind me. When we get into the kitchen, Alice is curled up in a ball, shaking.

"Strangers are coming," she whispers. "They been sent – I don't know. But fire, so much fire…" Alice, the one family member who's always bright and cheery, starts to sob. I go over to her, and try to put my arms around her, but she pushes me off. "You'll lose the most, Bella. I'm so, so sorry. It's not your fault." She turns away and starts sobbing again.

Behind me, I hear Nessie say, "Daddy, what did Aunt Alice see? What did she see?" Alice looks up at Nessie with eyes that look older than Gran's did.

Alice tells Nessie, "I saw death, Nessie. Lots of death. I'm sorry." The look of horror on Nessie's face was something I could never forget.

Trying to change the subject, I say to Edward, "Nessie must be really tired. I have to get her to bed." He nods, and I take Nessie's hand so we can walk back together. Jake follows close behind as I say goodnight to Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, and Rosalie. As soon as we're out of the house, Jake shifts and we walk back to the house.

Sure enough, Nessie is tired when we get in. I even have a hard time getting her nightgown on because it's so much work to push a child's arms through sleeves while her mind is drifting off to bed. For the first time since she was physically five, I have to carry my daughter to bed and tuck her in. She seems restless though, and the dreams I see when her hand touches my face make me nervous.

In an attempt to comfort her, I start singing a Celtic song that she liked to hear when she was a baby. Yet, even with Jake sleeping right outside, and Edward walking in the door, both Nessie and I are unsettled by Alice's vision.

Thank you all for reading, and I hope to hear your reviews!


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